A Will For Survival
by AmethystSoul13
Summary: After living in fear for so long, it was time for a change.
1. Chapter 1

A Will for Survival  
><em>Chapter One<em>

**Warning(s): **Gore, horror, violence, adult content, adult language, nudity, sexual situations, non-con, angst. This one won't be as kind as my previous stories, Ladies and Germs. It's kind of dark. Not for the faint of heart. But, if you don't like it, just don't read it. Please don't report it.

**Disclaimer: **Please, as if I own The Walking Dead. Norman Reedus would've been mine years ago if I did.

It never gets better. Everyone thinks it does. But it doesn't. It's just easier to tolerate, easier to ignore. Easier to handle. To pretend like it's an every day thing. Because that's what it was presently. It was something that happened to her every day, by the same person she hated with every fiber of her being. Being violated because she was defenseless, shackled, and beautiful. There was nothing she could do about it, no matter how much she wanted to. If she was a more desperate woman, she would have cut off her leg long ago to try and make an escape, freeing herself of the shackle restraining her from leaving His room. Or carved her face up, disfiguring her beauty so He no longer found her desirable. But it was futile. If she were to make it, she'd be hunted down, or taken over by the undead creatures that roamed the Earth. She knew it, He knew it. There was no escaping Terminus alive.

It was the sound of an explosion that woke her. Cat-like eyes, the color of warm butterscotch, snapped open in shock, the pale body shooting up into a sitting position. She winced as pain seared down her spine, white teeth sinking into a full bottom lip the color of pink blossoms, in order not to cry out. Bright red hair, the color of freshly spilled blood, fell in loose, big ringlets down her body and trailing down her small waist. Slender hands, unusually pale, grabbed the quilt covering her nude body and threw it off in annoyance. She was even more stunning when bare.

She was of normal height for a woman in her mid-twenties, with a curved, but tight body. Her pale belly was flat and smooth, her shoulders narrow. Her hips flared out to legs that went on for miles, a colorful peacock tattoo adorning her right hip. A poem was written in small font on her other side, just underneath her breasts. Bruises the shape of fingerprints marred the porcelain skin, especially along her hips and inner thighs. She winced once more as pain lanced across her lower back, a twinge of stinging pain between her legs. She placed a hand on her hip, dark bruises showing on her wrists in stark relief in the sunlight streaming from the nearby window.

The sounds of rapid gunfire motivated her to move faster, sliding out of bed with only a slight stumble, thanks to the heavy cuff around her ankle. Attached to a chain that allowed her free movement around the sparse bedroom and the bathroom connected, it was thick and unyielding. Scowling down at it, she grabbed a loose grey robe and wrapped it around her, walking towards the window. She jerked the chain in spite, pushing her thick hair over her shoulder as she squinted against the bright sun; only for her eyes to widen dramatically in shock.

Fire, and smoke, thick and black as night trailing up in the sky. The undead creatures, the Walkers, were stumbling and staggering their way past the fallen fence. Some were still on fire from the explosion, some were blown apart and still dragging their way inside. As she stared, she saw the source of the explosion came from the huge gas tank.

_How could it just explode like that? There's no way, unless…_ She was cut off from her thoughts by her door bursting open, slamming against the wall with an abrupt _BANG_. Whirling around in surprise, her heart racing in fear, she relaxed minutely when hazel eyes met her butterscotch ones. Her body was still tense, wary, as she took in the stiff form of her tormentor. His dark hair was disheveled, eyes wide and furious, but she could see a glimmer of worry in the lines of his mouth, which was tight and in a thin line. Her eyes trailed down, spotting a large gun in his hand and tensing even further. Was this it? Was he finally going to kill her, now that he was tired of her? Would he eat her as well, like he did all the others? Heart pounding further, she forced herself to remain calm, letting her gaze trail back to his handsome face.

"Gareth? What-"She cleared her throat as her voice shook slightly "What's happening?" Her soft voice, made for seduction, almost echoed in the quiet room. Instead of answering her right away, Gareth threw a pile of clothes at her, and then tossed a pair of boots at her feet. He stalked over to her, ignoring the flinch at his nearness, and unlocked the shackle around her dainty ankle. She blinked in surprise, full mouth parting wordlessly. In the background, she could hear screams and gunshots, along with the pounding of footsteps in the building.

"Get dressed. Now."He ordered, his voice full of authority, and she knew better than to question him. Nodding wordlessly, she let her robe drop from her slender shoulders while he stood at the open doorway, peering out cautiously every now and then. The jeans were of skinny fit, with a hole in the knee and slightly faded. She buttoned them up quickly, and then grabbed the zip up hoodie, frowning only a little when she saw that there was no other shirt for her to wear. The hoodie was a navy blue, and fit loosely as she zipped it up all the way. When Gareth began to shift in agitation, she shoved on the dark brown, buckled boots and stood straight to let him know she was ready. He nodded, glancing out the door one more time to check if the halls were clear.

"Let's go." He commanded, reaching out and grabbing her arm. She went obediently, knowing better than to argue, and followed him down the hall. They bumped into other people, who barely spared them a passing glance in their need to flee. She stumbled as Gareth picked up his pace, his grip rough on her thin arm as they made their way down the staircase. She looked around in awe, seeing most of the people of Terminus in a panic and fleeing for their lives, while others held guns as threatening as the one in Gareth's hands and were headed towards a certain direction. As they finally went outside, she had to blink furiously at the bright sun stinging her eyes, her free arm shielding her eyes. She was jerked roughly by Gareth to move faster, and she obeyed, unable to look away from the chaos around her.

The screams were louder outside, and the smell of smoke and blood filled the air. She could see numerous Walkers making their way inside Terminus through the thick cloud of smoke and flames, others already devouring helpless victims in their paths. She felt fear well up inside at the sight of the undead, rotting creatures, but she forced herself to remain calm. She could handle this. If she could handle Gareth, she could handle Walkers. As she thought this, she felt Gareth stop abruptly, causing her to bump into his rigid back. He didn't move an inch, but his grip tightened on her arm, before he pulled her forward to stand beside him. She stumbled from the force, then stiffened at the sight of the tall, dark-haired man standing before her.

"Travis, get as many as you can and get out of here. Watch her. Take her with you." Gareth commanded, and she resisted the urge to flinch as obsidian eyes glittered maliciously when they spotted her. A disturbing leer crawled across his face as he took in her form, but he nodded obediently to Gareth and reached out for her. She forced herself not to tug away, her butterscotch eyes shifting over Gareth in a silent, reluctant plea.

"I can do that, man. No problem." Travis grunted; his Southern accent thick when he spoke. He paused, when Gareth pulled her close for a moment. Hazel eyes narrowed warningly, the color darkening as he stared at the other man. Travis shifted uneasily, the leer wiped from his face at the powerful glare Gareth delivered him. Gareth leaned closer, meeting the nervous, mud brown eyes of the man before him.

"She's mine, Travis. Remember that." He said evenly, and Travis nodded quickly, much to Gareth's satisfaction. He gave him a slow once over, then nodded as well. He must have seen something to assure him, for he loosened his grip on her arm and gave her a light push forward. She went reluctantly, glancing back at him. He was really letting her go with this creep? Just like that? Where was he going? Would he even make it out of Terminus alive? Would she? It wasn't that she was dependent on him; she hated Gareth more than anything, and she also feared him. But he was all that she had known for so long; she didn't know anything else. A yank on her arm brought her back to herself, and she refrained from scowling at the brute manhandling her.

"C'mon, gorgeous. Let's get out of here." Travis grunted, pulling the redhead along at a rapid pace. He kept her close as they weaved through Walkers, his gun firing off and eliminating them easily. She squinted through the smoke, glancing around her. She could feel the squish of blood and gore under her boots, and her stomach turned at the thought. Swallowing it down, she breathed through her slightly open mouth to calm herself. The screams and gunshots continued around them, rasping groans and snarls of the Walkers could be heard at every angle. Her heart was pounding as more and more Walkers came around them, and she could hear Travis curse under his breath as he fired off at them. They would drop dead to the ground, but more came right afterwards.

She suddenly felt someone beside her, and jolted in shock at a Walker snarling in her face. Rotted flesh dripped from its face, clawed and bony hands reaching for her as blackened teeth bore viciously at her. A scream escaped her throat, and, with a quick yank, tore herself away from Travis's grip and ducked. The creature stumbled from the quick move, and Travis let out a shout of his own at the sight of the Walker and the freed redhead. He lifted his arm to shoot at the creature, but he was too late.

Teeth chomped down on his arm, and this time, his scream turned into one of horror. She stood there in shock, watching as the Walker bore Travis down, and saw more staggering their way over to join in the feast of flesh. His screams rose louder as the rotting creatures ate their fill, blood spurting from his mouth, dark and wet. She didn't help him, she couldn't. But more than that, she _wouldn't_. A kind of satisfaction filled her at the sight.

"Help me! Lady, please!" Travis screamed for her, his wide eyes bulging out of his face in terror and agony. The redhead stared at him, her own butterscotch eyes blank and her full mouth tilted up slightly. Then, it hit her. He was being devoured, while she just stood there, free of chains and a captor. Her heart began to race once more, and her eyes widened. Then, she turned and bolted from the scene, never looking back.

She was _free._


	2. Chapter 2

A Will for Survival  
><em>Chapter Two<em>

**Warning(s): **Gore, horror, violence, adult content, adult language, nudity, sexual situations, non-con, angst. This one won't be as kind as my previous stories, Ladies and Germs. It's kind of dark. Not for the faint of hearted. But, if you don't like it, just don't read it. Please don't report it. Not sure if I want it to be a Daryl romance, or Rick. Love 'em both, so we'll see how it plays out, I suppose.

**Disclaimer: **Please, as if I own The Walking Dead. Norman Reedus would've been mine years ago if I did.

She was free. She was _free._ She felt giddy, in a strange way, as she ran her way through Terminus, being careful to hide behind the train cars when Walkers would lumber near. She spotted other members of Terminus shooting at the creatures, while the defenseless ran back and forth in fear. Her own heart was racing in terror, but she refused to let it overcome her. She would not cower in fear and hide. She would get the hell out of Terminus. Away from the cannibals, from Gareth's crazy mom, Mary, and from Gareth himself. She was not going to die in this place.

With that determination in mind, she quickly ducked down, tying her hair in a loose braid with quick and precise fingers. She spotted a steel pipe on the floor out of the corner of her eye, blood stained along the side and at the end. She grabbed it, keeping a firm grip as she peered around the corner. She wasn't afraid she wouldn't be able to defend herself. Before she was taken by Gareth, she had adapted to the post-apocalyptic world surprisingly well. With her past history of being in Judo, she could snap the necks of the Walkers when she would have no weapon. Her father had been a policeman, and had taught her how to defend herself perfectly, with and without a weapon. Unfortunately, it hadn't worked with Gareth. He had been manipulating, and clever, and she had fallen into his trap too easily.

She gritted her teeth in frustration with herself briefly, but forced it away and took deep breaths. She could do this. When she peered around the corner, she saw a few staggering Walkers making their way down the cement, not noticing the redhead peeking at them warily. She avoided the gore and blood that stained the floor at their feet, straightening up and planting her feet firmly. Grabbing the hood of her sweater, she pulled it over her head, shielding her noticeable crimson curls.

"Okay, Jamie. You can do this." She whispered to herself. Jamie Daniels nodded firmly, before easing her way out from behind the train car. She crept around the Walkers on her tip toes, keeping a good distance between them and glancing around her constantly. The one in front of her, once a female in a long, flowery dress, paused and turned. Spotting her, it snarled and bared its rotting teeth and started towards her. Taking a deep breath, Jamie swung the pipe with all her might, making direct contact with the temple of the Walker's head. It fell down heavily, the resounded _Clang! _ Of the pipe echoing slightly. Jamie ran around the corner of another car as the other three Walkers turned at the sound, rasping growls escaping their blackened lips.

They stayed that way for a moment, as if looking for her, then turned back around and continued on her way. The one she hit was still mobile, its head caved in as it crawled after the others. Jamie grimaced at the sight, gripping the pipe tighter.

_Guess I'm a little rusty. Maybe I need to go the other way. _She thought to herself, moving around the other side to peer around. Only to gasp in surprise. She could see two men, crouched behind a car and staring at a group of Terminus citizens shooting at Walkers with looks of intense hatred. One of them had dark locks, wavy from sweat will a full beard and intense blue eyes. The other had medium, shaggy brown hair and arctic blue eyes that were equally intense, full of concentration and hate. He had a black eye, and both looked a little banged up, but appeared to be unbothered by their state. They were both equally handsome, but she could feel the waves of danger rolling off of them.

It wasn't sinister, like Gareth's, but still intimidating. Jamie shifted slightly, prepared to move back, when her eyes locked with the man with the longer hair and hard, arctic eyes. Her own buttery irises widened in shock, and she stepped backwards nervously as his narrowed at the sight of her. The other began to move, his gaze focused on the groups of shooters taking down the mass of Walkers footsteps were quiet, precise, and stealthy as he crept up behind them, and the other man removed his eyes from Jamie to watch his partner carefully, in case he had to come and help.

It seemed that he didn't need help, though. He took down the straggler in the back, snapping his neck with ease and taking his machine gun. Without hesitation, he shot down all of the remaining Terminus members, ignoring the Walkers approaching them. Jamie took that as her cue to escape, and backed away before the other man could notice her again. She took off at a jogging pace through Terminus, headed towards the back where she knew another exit to be.

As she ran, her thoughts blurred rapidly through her mind. Where they the ones that caused the explosion? The reason why Terminus was being over-taken? If so, why? Did they know someone that had been taken? Where they taken, and escaped? She didn't know, and she didn't care to meet them again, despite being attractive. Gareth was handsome, and he was more dangerous than a viper's bite. She hadn't known that in the beginning, and it caused her to be held captive for months. She wasn't about to make that mistake again.

There weren't as many Walkers in the back area, but the ones that came in her way; she took down with a hard swing of the pipe. Her arms were starting to ache from disuse, but she refused to stop. She finally spotted the wire fence that lead to the train tracks, then to the forest beyond that. She sped up, excitement in her blood as she quickened her pace. Her hood fell in her haste, revealing her bright crimson hair, but she paid it no mind. She glanced around quickly for anyone approaching, or any Walkers. Aside from a few in the distance, slowly making their way toward her; the coast was clear.

She felt hope bloom in her chest as she reached the fence, and she quickly scaled it, being careful around the barbed wire that lined it. She let out a huff as she dropped to the ground, landing on her feet and crouching slightly. She straightened up, getting ready to reach down, when she realize she had left her pipe on the other side.

"Damnit." Jamie hissed, gripping the wire of the fence as she stared at it, lying on the ground. She would need it for later, if she were to run into any Walkers on the way. She leaned back, staring up at the fence. If she was quick, she could scale it again, grab the pipe, climb it, and then run as fast as she could in to the woods. She nodded to herself, grabbing on to the wire and planting one foot inside a hole. As she went to heave herself up, she heard shouting in the distance on the other side. She stopped, looking around to see what the noise was about.

Her whole body went rigid in shock. Not too far away was a small group of Terminus citizens, headed towards where Jamie was currently. And in the middle, limping, but clearly alive, was Gareth. Though he cradled his side shoulder gingerly, he refused the others' assistance, and should see the fury on his face from where she stood. Frozen, she could feel fear creeping up her spine as his hazel eyes spotted her immobile form. They widened ever so slightly in surprise, before narrowing; the color dark and ominous.

A shiver went through her, and she felt her body shake from it. Oh, Gods, he was still _alive._ How was that possible? He should've died in that chaos!

_No,_ she thought, watching as the others started noticing her and pointing her out,_ A monster like Gareth adapts to chaotic situations with no problem._

She then noticed that they all had guns in their hands as they began shouting at her, and she felt her heart stop. She would be taken again, if she didn't flee while she could. She would be subjected to all that torment, all that _rape _again, if she didn't get her ass moving. She could feel hot tears of anger burning her butterscotch eyes, and she clenched her fists tightly, before relaxing. Assessing the distance, she figured she would get a decent head start if she ran now, and headed up past Terminus.

So, without further ado, she locked her gaze with Gareth's, raised her fist high in the air, and flipped up her middle finger up at him. Then, she turned and took off in the woods, determined to get away.

_I will __**not**__ be your pet anymore, Gareth._


End file.
